Entertainment

Vanessa Bayer Leaves Big Shoes To Fill On 'SNL'

by Allie Gemmill
Mike Coppola/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

It's been a week of big changes in the world of Saturday Night Live. On Saturday, news broke that Vanessa Bayer would be leaving SNL after seven years with the show. Her departure comes swiftly on the heels of the announcement just a few days prior that her SNL castmate Bobby Moynihan is exiting after nine seasons. According to Deadline, Bayer was a featured player first on SNL. After two seasons, she was upgraded to a repertory player, where she proceeded to break through with her impression of Miley Cyrus.

It'll be sad saying goodbye to Bayer, who truly left a unique signature on the series. Over the years, she's become best known for her impressions and her wide variety of wacky Weekend Update characters. Lately, Bayer's been popping up more and more in film and TV, including small roles in Trainwreck, Portlandia, and Office Christmas Party.

Shortly after word spread about Bayer's departure, she posted a note on Instagram. Pictured is what looks like a parody song that could be sung to the tune of Billy Joel's "She's Always A Woman." Bayer captioned the photo with a short but very sweet farewell note, where it seems like castmate Colin Jost penned those cheeky lyrics in her honor: "Thank you SNL for 7 years of laughs, love and incredible memories. It has been a dream come true. And thanks for this goodbye sketch at the table, Colin."

And so, in the wake of this news, let's take a moment to salute some of Bayer's most memorable characters who, coincidentally, happen to be some of Weekend Update's best, too.

Jacob The Bar Mitzvah Boy

Bayer's Jacob was never one for conversation with Weekend Update host Michael Che, and he certainly knew a lot about Passover.

"Jennifer Aniston"

Bayer's impression of Jennifer Aniston was so killer that it warranted a loving cease-and-desist from the real Aniston.

Laura Parsons, Kid Reporter

Laura Parsons was super precocious and a little too informed about some of the very sticky subjects on the evening news. Bayer's performance never failed to delight.

Dawn Lazarus

Bayer actually brought a classic comedy technique, doubletalk, back to SNL with her goofy meteorologist, Dawn Lazarus.

A Sexy Totino's Commercial

And finally, the one that breaks the mold is a recent classic of Bayer's. Reprising her Totino's wife character, she got to have some fun with Kristen Stewart in the French-ified love story in the Totino's universe.

Fans are going to miss you, Bayer.